The 2018-2018 CASPA application cycle will open on Thursday, April 26, 2018. Applicants can create their application as of 12:00am ET on that date. Please read below for important cycle dates and information.

CASPA Fees & Fee Waivers

The CASPA application fees for the 2018-2019 cycle are as follows:

First application designation: $179

Each additional application designation: $52

The fee waiver bank will be increased to a total amount of $138,800, which amounts to approximately 775 fee waivers that will be awarded to eligible applicants.

Customer Support

Applicants should use the CASPA Applicant Help Center before staring an application. With additional questions, you may contact the customer service team directly at caspainfo@caspaonline.org or 617.612.2080 during regular business hours, Monday-Friday.

Program Deadlines
There are nine deadlines programs can select from in the application cycle. See a complete list of deadline dates and requirements (submit, complete, or verified) here. Note, information will be updated when the cycle goes live on April 26.

PAEA Program Directory

The PAEA Program Directory is currently under construction with updates for the 2019 entering class pending. It should be complete by June due to a recent merging of internal PAEA program surveys. We apologize for the delay of this resource, but please encourage your applicants to check out individual program websites for detailed requirements and information.

Applicant Tips

WAIT! Don’t send documents to CASPA yet. Wait until launch day and when you’ve created an account before you send transcripts or letters of reference. Sending them in before April 26 will cause them to be shredded. Letters of reference must be submitted by the letter author, so don’t send those to CASPA either – you won’t get them back and they won’t be uploaded to your application under any circumstance.

Save yourself the pain of an email response or phone call to customer service. Read the applicant help center before you start or re-start your application. 95% of the questions we receive can be answered here.

You don’t have to start over. If you applied in the 2015-2016 application cycle or later then you can choose to carry over your application (or you can start fresh, it’s up to you). After the cycle launches, use your previous log in credentials and follow the prompts on screen.

Skip launch day. Don’t take off work or skip class to start your CASPA application. Let launch day pass. It’s busy and the server can get overcrowded, causing delays or even the inability to access the application for some users. Save your day off for some real fun!

Increase your chances of success by doing research, research, and more research. Then submitting. Applying early is a great idea, but the completeness and accuracy of the application is more important. Encourage applicants to take their time, research the individual PA program requirements (both prerequisite and application submission), and read all application instructions to ensure the accuracy of their application before submitting.

Fee waivers are available as soon as the application cycle launches. Once an applicant is approved for a fee waiver, they must submit their application within 14 calendar days. An application cannot be submitted before fee waiver approval and there will be no extensions for fee waiver consideration if the 14-day window for submission is missed. The fee waiver pool is typically exhausted by June or early July every cycle, so plan ahead.

Professional transcript entry (PTE) isn’t for everyone, but, if you don’t want to enter your coursework yourself and have the funds, it may be an option for you. Make sure you’re clear on how it works because once you pay for it, no refunds are issued, and sometimes PTE can take longer (think missed deadlines) than inputting the information yourself.

You are responsible for your application status and progress, for inputting complete and accurate information, and getting your application to the ‘complete’ status, which then puts your application in line for verification.

In an ideal world, you’d be able to visit every PA school you’re interested in. You would see the campus, the classrooms, chat with faculty, and connect with students.

But we don’t live an an ideal world, so we have the next best thing: PA virtual fairs. Not familiar with virtual fairs? They are a great way to connect with program representatives right from your computer or phone.

Register today so you can:

Visit almost 40 program chat rooms

Get direct access to program faculty & staff

Learn more about PA program campuses, student life, and more

Get application tips

Explore admissions requirements to help you find your best fit programs

Access CASPA representatives to help you easily navigate the application

It’s the Final Countdown! The 16th CASPA application opens tomorrow, April 27, for the launch of the 2017-2018 application cycle. PAEA welcomes 219 participating programs, including 5 developing program members this year.

Every year, Liaison International enhances the application so it’s in tip-top shape for applicants and programs alike come launch day. This year, while we’ve added some new options to the application, not a whole lot of changes have been made that will result in a major impact for applicants, advisors, or our participating programs.

Over the past five years, we’ve seen a steady increase in applicant numbers at approximately a 6% increase year over year (or cycle over cycle) and we predict we’ll see the same this cycle. Brace yourselves for a busy cycle!

Applicants should contact CASPA’s customer service team at caspainfo@caspaonline.org or 617.612.2080 for assistance throughout this cycle. Best wishes for a great admissions cycle!

Be Prepared: if you thoroughly understand the process and have all your materials read, you’ll be in good shape to sail through your application. In fact, you will have a better experience if you spend an extra day or two preparing your materials rather than rushing to create an application.

Read Up: if it’s been awhile (even if it hasn’t been) since you’ve checked out the FAQ, you should review how to prepare pre-launch and learn about application deadlines in our Applicant Help Center (linked above).

Don’t Obsess About Applying on Opening Day: it’s not Black Friday or a concert, so relax…a little. We know you’ve worked hard to get to this point and we want to help you on the way to this important goal. Remember, the application will be available at night, the next day and weekend, and for months after that. You’ve got enough stress in your life and you can avoid additional tension by simply waiting a day or two to create your account and get started on your application.

Anticipate Delays: with so many folks trying to apply on opening day, all elements of our operation may move a bit more slowly than normal. Our teams are certainly trained, ready, and eager to serve you during the next cycle, but wait times may be a bit higher for the first few days of the application season – this is normal. See #3 and we thank you in advance for your understanding and patience.

Skip Opening Day: don’t take the day off from work or school to complete the application on April 27. Save your time for hiking, shopping, or a vacation instead and come back after the weekend to start your application.

We realize you’re excited, eager, and probably a bit nervous about this process. Be assured our teams understand the importance and the stress that comes with the application process. We hope you will take our advice, be well prepared, enjoy a few extra days of spring, and then undertake a successful application cycle!

In an ideal world, you’d be able to visit every PA school you are interested in. You would see the campus, chat with faculty, and get your questions answered.

Well, we have the next best thing: virtual fairs. Not familiar with virtual fairs? They’re a way to connect with programs right from your computer or phone.

You can visit each program’s “room” and have direct access to faculty and staff. Learn more about programs, get application tips, and find out about admission requirements. You’ll also have access to a CASPA representative so you can get details about the application process. The best part? It’s FREE!

This year’s virtual fairs will be held on April 19–20 and July 18–19. You can register now for the April virtual fair.

The CASPA 2017-2018 application cycle will open on April 27, 2017. Applicants may not create an account or submit documentation prior to creating an account on or after April 27, including transcripts or letters of reference. Any accounts created or documents received prior to this date will be discarded. Applicants will have the ability to activate re-applicant accounts for the 2017-2018 cycle. For additional information, please review the CASPA Instructions and FAQ and follow them on Facebook.